


Millennia Away, Three Times Over

by taichara



Category: Legion of Super-Heroes (Comics), Legionnaires
Genre: Drabble Collection, Multi, Reboot, SW6, Zero Hour, retroboot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2014-09-02
Packaged: 2018-02-15 21:39:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2244354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taichara/pseuds/taichara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fifteen drabbles, five for three different incarnations of the Legion, for Tables Two, Four and Five of <a href="http://luxken27.dreamwidth.org/748151.html">Luxken27's Summer Mini Challenge</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legionnaires  
> Prompt: coral blush

Looking back, he didn't remember it being quite so _easy_ to fluster Rokk. No, not Cosmic Boy the unflappable.

Then again, Kid Quantum mused (as the tide crept up past Rokk's collar yet again), it wasn't as if he'd been _trying_ to fluster Fearless Leader back then, either. He'd been too concerned with duty -- to the Legion, to his people -- for it to cross his mind.

Which meant that he had a lifetime of catching up to do.

Smiling, he drummed his fingers lightly on the meeting-table, chuckled when Rokk jumped.

"I don't need an answer right away, of course ..."


	2. Letting Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legionnaires  
> Prompt: doubt

_Just a little more ... just a little ... there._

With the gentle *ping* of crystal against glass, the dozen tiny statues settled into place; and, as the glittering wyrm-power faded into nothingness, Dragonmage allowed himself the tiniest smile of pride.

Maybe assembling a diorama (and after conjuring all the pieces) was 'simple', after the mad miracle he'd helped perform on Antares II. 

But that was not the point of the exercise. He needed to move forward --

_I did do that. I helped them gain back everything._  
But that was just raw power, however gentle.   
Now, I need to work on control. 


	3. The Centre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legionnaires  
> Prompt: hold

Saturn Girl's hands flew across the holokeys like racing birds; there was too much to do, not enough time to do it in, but by the Rings she was going to keep up if it was the last thing --

_... Now that's not fair, and I know it._

Guilt prickled her like a cot from the long-destroyed tunnels.

_Rokk's improving daily. Kid Quantum's alive! And we've improved at tracking the raiders. New Earth is starting to recover; I can feel the tension draining ..._

They just needed to keep it all together.

She'd do everything in her power to make it happen.


	4. Whirlpool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legionnaires  
> Prompt: wicked

_\- Cos, limp and scorched and lifeless in one blinding flash of lightning and rage -_  
\- Imra, tears like rain, angry, accusing, betrayed -  
\- his best friend still on the ground, his girlfriend turning away - 

Garth jolted awake. Around him, sweat-soaked, his sheets crackled with static ...

Moaning, he buried his face in his hands, tears hot against his fingers.

_What's wrong with me?!_

_I can't -- I just can't do it, everything makes me mad, and I don't want to lose more people and I --  
I attacked him, I killed him and they only saved him because of Brainy ..._

_I'm turning into my brother ..._


	5. Search and Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legionnaires  
> Prompt: boldly

_Mother-god, you idiots just don't give up, do you?_

If she were really honest (she supposed she should be), and if one pressed the question (only Saturn Girl had), and _if_ she took the time to answer, Andromeda would admit she was taking a risk and enjoying herself a little too much, besides.

Up to her shoulders in gang thugs, though -- thugs all too happy to prey on the weak -- she didn't really care.

Gangers soared through the air, bounced against walls as she cleared a path to the girls with a smile on her face.

"Hi. I'm here to help."


	6. Cognizance of Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (retroboot)  
> Prompt: lime green

A thousand thoughts (not that strange in and of itself) flashed through Brainiac 5's mind as he stared at -- stared up at -- the massive clinical bulk of his twice-times-great predecessor.

Brainiac's returning stare was ice-cold, dead and passionless; and his descendant barely suppressed a shudder. It was only that one sardonic little thought out of a thousand that kept him from bolting.

_For all your intellect, Brainiac -- all your machine coldness -- you are nothing but envy.  
You've envious, covetous, of every last scrap of knowledge someone else may possess._

_And I, you bastard, am going to use that against you._


	7. Strikes Twice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (retroboot)  
> Prompt: risk

The crack of lightning, the roll of thunder, the likes of which his Earth had not experienced for centuries; the storm roared around him, promising death for any who against nature's wrath.

Val Armorr had faced worse, and lived.

He'd faced worse, and died, yet here he stood, slim golden wand held high, eyes shining as he waited to call the lightning down.

No forcefield for him, oh no. That was just to keep away Clark's meddling friends while he waited -- and he didn't want to wait.

He'd had his second chance -- let it pass to another --

The lightning flashed --


	8. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (retroboot)  
> Prompt: eat

Oh, sure, there was a time when Shrinking Violet would have never been willing to sit and share a quiet meal with the woman who had, literally, taken her place.

That was past, though, long past, and she and Yera were friends and comrades -- and friends needed to be there for each other, more now than ever.

_Earth-Man and his "Justice League" might be locked away on Takron-Galtos, but there's still entire worlds' worth of misunderstanding and hate to deal with ..._

\-- then Gim was carrying out dinner, and she was happy to push all that aside to enjoy the moment.


	9. Makeshift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (retroboot)  
> Prompt: temporary

_I'm sorry, my love, for the hope I'm giving and taking away from you._

The bottle, smooth and cool in her hands, needed to be placed before the Fortress' defenses decided she didn't belong there after all, Legionnaire or no.

Tasmia bit her lip, glanced around; placed the precious phial and its note in its alcove, and triggered her ring's temporal ripcord before her tears could start to fall.

She'd fought them all for the right to be the one to plant it, that blighted gift with its final, fatal flaw.

Lar needed it to live; they needed him dying.


	10. What Has Been Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (retroboot)  
> Prompt: softly

Deep in the night-time chill Element Lad stood silent on the rooftop, staring sightlessly.

He could see it in his mind's eye -- even though he'd not been there in the flesh -- the lone city in its desolate cradle -- Argo City, the last of its kind, New Krypton -- the gleaming marauders closing in to rend and violate --

It was too familiar, too close.

Far, far too close.

Too much like ...

Gentle arms slipped around him, one hand ruffling his hair like so long ago; and then, an equally gentle voice behind his ear.

"Talk to me, Jan."

"Imra ..."

The floodgates opened.


	11. The Great Endeavour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (Zero Hour reboot)  
> Prompt: dubiously

"So you got it right this time."

"Of course I did."

"Sure."

"Would I have made the claim if I didn't?"

"Well, I suppose that after the last attempt, probably not. Maybe."

No matter how intense the death-glare being leveled at him across the worktable, Lyle was not giving an inch further. Not when it was infinitely more hilarious to just stand there grinning while Brainy tried to, oh, activate latent heat-vision or something.

No, Brainy was just going to have to _prove_ it.

And all the while the beaker of foamy, murky stuff on the table bubbled merrily away --


	12. Captain On The Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (Zero Hour reboot)  
> Prompt: favourable

It was just like being back in Mr. Brande's office again. Not that they hadn't just been back at that anyway, sure -- while the Legion was fragmented across the universe or worse -- but that was beside the point, really ...

The point was that this was what they, what she, wanted to do.

Purple picked up the thought from Neutral and grinned wolfishly back at her sister-self before snapping around to get a report from a harried comm tech; Neutral nodded with a smile, while Orange chivvied a few lost cadets off the Situation Deck.

Legion World? Just a bigger office.


	13. Forever And A Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (Zero Hour reboot)  
> Prompt: love

Oblivion already claimed him three times over.

Once, to save himself; once, he is sure, saving all those people again, into the void again, displaced in time and displaced in space, the memories a fading dream; once, as Superboy has saved his life.

It doesn't matter, no more than the ranting of the Blighted horror who gloats and pets his face and promises to drain his self to nothing.

He will not fall to oblivion again.

His friends, their worlds -- he will _not_ lose them to this rot.

And if sacrifice is needed, it will be by his own choice --


	14. The Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (Zero Hour reboot)  
> Prompt: secret

Social gaffes. Missed cues. Broken syntax. A blank, uncomprehending gaze, friendly and empty at the same time. 

Just an ignorant barbarian from a quarantined planet with not a sprocking clue what was going on around him.

_That's right, Madame President, pay no attention to the Durlan behind the curtain -- I don't even understand you anyway, remember?_

It was the most exacting, and most humiliating, role he'd ever tried to play. But Invisible Kid was right; it was up to them to pick apart the President's mad plans.

In a hundred innocent forms, under a guileless mask, Chameleon played his role.


	15. What Must Be Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Version: Legion of Super-Heroes (Zero Hour reboot)  
> Prompt: slate grey

_I must do this_

_I have to do it for them all, I'm the only one of us_

Reflexively Element Lad flicked a glance towards the shapes encased in their glittering cocoons; licked too-dry lips, shivering; wrenched his gaze away (no not towards the mad nothingness beyond the wreck no no); dragged his thoughts back to the endless unrolling calculations creeping like drunken vermin across the floors, the walls, the crumbling supports.

_I have to do this_

The figures blurred before his eyes even as he scratched a dozen dozen more into the nothing-colour of the deckplates.

_I have to_


End file.
